New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1887-07-20
a STRICKEN Pi5lLANTHRoPIsT.

A STRICKEN PHlLANTHROPlST.>
Great IN Els Fortune and Great In
His Daughter.
Many years ago Mr.. w. w. Corcoran
said:
81 mean to be selfish about nv
money. It shall be all for my own en-
ioyment during my lifetime I sha
give and enjoy the happiness of those,
to whom I give. Z shall not leave
much behind me-"
He carried out this programme
wonderfully well, and he has practiced
the noble and enlightened selfshness
: of Peter Cooper and George Peabody.
Mr.. Corcoran now lies at his home,
corner OF Sixteenth and H streets,
partially paralyzed, and with the slim
chance for recovery allotted to men of
his great age. He is 88 years old. All
Washington is concerned for him-all
the rich and all the poor. In the
churches he is prayed for, and if good
will could raise him up he would be rails
ed up. For nearly forty years he has
lived in the fine old home on H street,
just opposite Lafayette park. A great
garden runs all the way to street,
and in the most fashionable part of
Washington the old time garden blooms
and blossoms. Formerly Mr.. Corcoran
entertained much and often, but since
the death of his only child, Mrs. :Eustis,
there has been no gayties in the great
red brick house. He has always been
glad to see his friends, but the death of
his cherished daughter has not been
forgotten.
Over in Georgetown, in 1893, then
a mere hamlet, Mr.. Corcoran was born.
His father had been a shoemaker, but
afterward rose to be mayor of the
town, and was a useful citizen. MI.
Corcoran's early advantages were not
great But he read what books he
could get and improved himself and
soon saw way to rise. He had natural
commercial genius, and from clerk
ship he gradually acquired a business
OF his own. He was always a hand
some, presentabe man, and even in
those early days, when social distnc-
tons were much more observed than
now, he had no trouble in persuading
the pretty daughter of Commodore
Morris to marry him. The old commo-
,dore was wroth when the proposition
was made, and like Col Cary when
George Washington wanted to marry
beautiful Mary Gary, hex father in
formed the lover that his girl had
higher aspirations. In spite of the
commodore S swearing and clustering,
though, his daughter was obstinate and
became Mrs. Corcoran.. Afterward,
when poverty had reduced the Morris
family, MI. Corcoran had an opportu-
nifty ofrepaying the debt by supporting
them all comfortably. But meanwhile
the old commodore had found out that
the shoemaker son WAS no ordinary
man. In time the banking house Of
Corcoran q Briggs was ablished,
but it was not until the loan necessi-
tated By the Mexican war was taken
up by the house that it came prom-
nent before the public. Then Mr. Corr
coran foresaw that he would become
one of the richest men in America
he was even then noted for his
public and private charities, but he
had not arranged the vast schemes of
benevolence which have occupied his
later years. He had but one child,
Louise Corcoran, an beautiful and in
teresting girl, in whom he was quite
bound up. His wife was then dead.
Louise Corcoran was regarded as le-
Ultimate prey by all the designing
members of the diplomatic corps in
Washington. Mr.. Corcoran bitterly
opposed her marriage to a foreigner,
although processing perfect willing
ness for her to marry any deserving
young man she fancied, no matter how
small his fortune, only he must be an
American. But the. young lady was
full of life and liked admiration, as
young things of her sex do. One day,
when shewas entertaining forbidden
admirer, who was member of the
Spanish legation, she heard her fath-
er's step in the hall. The young
grandee turned, pale, as did the heed
less girl: tThe step approached nearer
"a hand was on the knob of the door
when Mr. Grandee, forgetting all
about his dignity, scampered under.
the grand piano in the corner Mr.;
Corcoran's eyes were too quick thou h.i
= Going back into the hall he reappeased
with buggy whip, which he used VIC
orously on the shins of the grandee,
who got out of the house as fast as his
legs could Garry him. That cured
Miss Louise CT foreigners, and shortly
latter she married Mr. Eutis, of South
Carolina, then a young member of the
house. Her married life was very hap-'
|Py, but she did not live many years. |
In 1870 she dieE' of consumption, leav-l
ing two sons and daughter behind
her. Her husband did not long survive
her. The loss a. this beloved child was
an overwhelming, blow to lMr. Corcor-
an. Years after he could rot speak of
vwithout tears. ,Only.a. little while
asgo, in speaking of Gen. Lee, with
'whosn he was on terms of great init
anacy, he said: 1a.have the, last letter
The ever wrote. It WAS upon the occa-
sion, OF any childs DEATH HE stopped